NCIS: Grace
by SJ Howitt
Summary: CaseFic, the two year old daughter of a Marine Corporal goes missing. All signs point in one direction, but Gibb's gut is telling him something different.


NCIS: Grace

CaseFic, the two year old daughter of a Marine Corporal goes missing. All signs point in one direction, but Gibb's gut is telling him something different.

Disclaimer:All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

_Word Count 5636_

_Rating K+_

_Triggers; Crime, Kidnap, bad jokes._

_I do not own, yadda yadda yadda, only the story is mine._

_My husband died today, no really he did, and this is what I wrote to get through the day. Apologies for any Grammar and Spelling mistakes I did check, but only the once as NCIS is about to start. Please be kind._

_Hope you enjoy._

_SJxxx_

It was dark, late at night and the room was lit by the streetlight outside, on the left hand bedside table, leaning against an old radio alarm clock was a wedding photo, a 6ft Tall Marine Lance Corporal, stood in front of a beautifully decorated Gospel Church, on his arm his dark eyed wife beamed at the camera. That side of the bed was empty, made neatly the pillow plumped, dark blue pyjamas placed reverently on the pillow.

On the other side of the bed, there was another photo this time of a small blond woman holding a caramel skinned female toddler, both laughing and waving at the camera. On this side of the bed, curled under the covers was the woman in the photo.

Somewhere in the house a child started to cry and fret, the blond woman stirred and stretched. She blinked at the sound, hoping the child would settle. After a few moments it was clear she wouldn't and the woman got out of bed. Finding slippers and wrapping a dressing gown around her she walked across the room towards the door. She was halfway there when the child's cries became louder and more urgent, followed by a crash of breaking glass.

She ran across the room out into the hallway where she found the little girls bedroom door wide open. Hitting the lights she viewed the room in horror, the crib was empty blankets where strewn across the floor towards the door.

"GRACE!" she screamed "GRACEY?" spinning her head back and forth hot tears splashed from her eyes, she ran back out onto the landing when she heard another clatter and crash downstairs followed by a sharp cry. She ran down the stairs and into the kitchen just in time to see a tiny pyjama'd foot be carried out of the smashed in kitchen door.

X

In his basement, Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibb's, was working on his latest project, a decorative rocking chair for his father. He'd had a few hours' sleep before waking to his demons, and deciding the only way to exorcise them was with work. He needed to be sober and at work for 7, which was why his next mug of bourbon would have to be his last for the night. He was sanding the grooves in the arm rest, when his phone rang. He looked up into the corner of the room, where a small pile of blankets on the easy chair moved fitfully and the girl underneath woke up. He smiled and grabbed the phone from beside him.

"Yeah Gibbs?" He answered the phone, whilst watching the girl extricate herself from her nest, "Do you know what time it is Dinozzo?"

"Sorry Boss" The yawning Agent on the other end of the line sleepily apologised, "we've got a missing Marine Dependent "

"Yeah?" It was 4am; Gibb's hoped there was more than that.

"She's 2 boss"

"OK I'm on my way." He listened while Tony gave him the address, and then looked across at girl who standing in pink pyjamas looked at him quizzically. He finished the call and smiled "You up for giving me a lift?"

X

At the Marine base housing the MCRT van was parked on road blocking the driveway to the house. McGee looked shattered but awake, Ziva who was taking the statement of the Blond woman, looked calm and well rested. Tony looked like someone had tortured him for hours before dumping him upside down into his crime scene uniform.

"Where is the boss man?" Tony complained, holding a can of cola to his head.

"It's early in the morning Tony" McGee counselled, "He'll be here."

They were interrupted by the sound of tyres screeching, and a 4.8L V8 truck being driven with too much rev. Tony looked up as Gibb's GMC Sierra pulled onto the street, Gibb's in the passenger seat. "Oh I swear, I thought she passed her test?" Tony complained as the noise became deafening.

"She did" McGee clarified as the truck screeched to a halt millimetres from where the two agents stood. "Then Gibb's re-taught her"

They watched for a few moments as Gibb's placed a small kiss on her cheek, and slipped out of the passenger seat. As he walked away from the truck he put his hat on, "What we got Dinozzo?" he asked clapping the younger agent heavily on the back.

In the truck Kim waved cheerfully at McGee, before slamming it into Reverse and swinging it round with a terrifying turn of speed. "Er Boss?"

"She'll be fine McGee" Gibb's shouted over his shoulder. "She doesn't drink" he gritted his teeth against the cold, the bitterness and the alcohol draining from his system.

X

"Grace Samira Jackson, aged 2, her Father Marine Corporal Sam Jackson is currently serving in Afghanistan, Grace is currently living with her Father's second wife Mrs Jaime Jackson." Ziva explained to Gibb's quietly, as Mrs Jackson continued to sit on the porch steps.

"Where's her Mom?"

"Samira Jackson died after suffering a haemorrhage during Labour, Grace was born post mortem." Ziva whispered, "Mrs Jackson is currently undergoing the process of officially adopting Grace."

"There are signs of a Forced Entry in the kitchen Boss" McGee came and told them, "Tony's bagging and tagging, but we thought you might want to see."

"Why aren't you helping him McGee?" There was a sound of vicious barking, and Gibb's rolled his eyes.

"Ziva help Dinozzo, McGee make sure local PD has a BOLO"

"Sure Boss, but…" McGee started

"I'm going to speak to Mrs Jackson."

X

"How you holding up?" Gibb's asked Jaime Jackson sitting next to her on the porch steps.

"I guess I'm in shock" she told him "Who would do this?" She looked up as if suddenly seeing Gibb's for the first time.

He smiled "Special Agent Gibbs" he said kindly "I will find Grace."

Jaime nodded "I've got recent photo's ready, and her hair brush, and her toothbrush in the den. She was wearing a Hello Kitty pink onesie, she's had a snuffle all week, so her hair was in bunches to keep it out of her face…" she said quickly.

"You tell my team that?"

"Yes" She laughed "I watch a lot of police procedurals"

Gibb's nodded "Do you know of anyone with a grudge against you or your husband? Have you received any threats? Any odd phone calls?"

"No" she shook her head vigorously "I've been searching my mind, but I can't think, unless, do you think this has something to do with Sam's work?"

"Do you know if he's involved in anything that might explain this?"

"No" she scratched at her arms subconsciously "The first 24 hours are the most crucial in finding a missing child" she looked at her watch "You have 22 left to find Grace."

X

"She's one cool courgette" Ziva told them as all 4 squeezed into the van.

"Cucumber, Ziva, Cool as a Cucumber" Tony explained "What the heck is a courgette?"

"It's a Zucchini Dinozzo" Gibb's explained from the driver's seat.

"Right boss, Stepmothers though, she's got to be our top suspect, get the tot out of the way, have Daddy all to herself."

"That's what you think Dinozzo?" Gibb's asked

"Well it makes sense doesn't it?" He looked round for support or confirmation "Isn't it?" there was nothing but stony silence, followed by Gibb's putting his foot down hard on the accelerator.

X

Tony walked white faced into Autopsy, opened the closest fridge and put his head into it.

"Everything OK Anthony?" Ducky called from the far end of the room.

"Usual Gibb's driving" Tony gasped "Just need to prove to myself I'm still alive."

Ducky chuckled, "I thought you had an arrangement where Jethro no longer drove the rest of you around, accept in the direst emergency?"

"Boss got a lift to the crime scene" Tony explained climbing onto a spare gurney "He didn't get one back"

"Young Kimberley dropped him off at a crime scene?" Ducky asked, walking over to Tony and placing a concerned hand on the younger man's forehead.

"Yeah, then drove off like the devil was behind her, or a hung over Gibb's which may have been worse." Tony sighed and swung himself up again.

"She probably had to go to work." Ducky told him levelly.

"She got herself a job? Good for her" Tony said genuinely nodding his head.

"A couple of friends of mine run a small antique book shop in Georgetown, they required an assistant, and I was able to help." Ducky walked back to his desk "Luckily Bunny and Gabe, like Jethro and Young Kimberley come from a simpler time where the word of a friend and willingness to work count for more than a high tech CV and a College education."

Tony groaned "Oh Ducky, you may have killed us all."

X

Around the same time Gibb's walked into Abby's lab, carrying a large Caf-Pow, "What you got Abby?"

"Gibb's is it true you have a terrible hang-over?" She giggled

"No" he said emphatically "Have you got any prints for me?"

"Loads, Mrs Jackson doesn't keep very good house, there are prints from her, and Grace, as well as Corporal Jackson. On top of that there are prints from Samira Jackson, half a dozen other Marines…."

"Fresh prints Abb's?"

"There are only immediate family" She frowned "Sorry Gibbs" He started to walk away, "Gibb's there's something else"

"What Abby?" he asked irritably

"The glass in the back door that was smashed?"

"Er yeah?"

"It was smashed from the inside out."

X

Jaime Jackson sat in the interview room, a cup of coffee beside her. Her eyes darted round the room as Gibb's and Dinozzo stood behind the one way glass watching her discomfort.

"New it was the stepmother" Dinozzo told him, "I've had several Step-Mothers; anyone of them would have happily had me killed."

"This case isn't over Dinozzo" Gibb's reminded him, as the door behind them opened.

"Gibb's" Ziva poked her head round the door frame, "There's a call for you in MTAC."

"Who?" he asked confused

"Corporal Jackson"

X

The man on the screen was a broken man, his eyes were red, his uniform was a mess, and he looked like he'd been run through a mill.

"Corporal Jackson?" Gibb's greeted

"Special Agent Gibbs, have you found my daughter?"

"I'm working on it" He assessed the Corporals look, for a moment he saw himself 20 years before, and shook the thought away. "Corporal Jackson, I know this is hard, but is there anyone who…."

"Is my wife involved?" The Corporal asked suddenly deadly serious, his eyes flashing.

"What makes you say that?"

"I got an e-mail, about a week ago warning me."

"Warning you what?"

"Warning me that my wife was planning to kill my daughter."

X

Gibb's sat opposite Jaime Jackson "I don't understand why Sam would say that?" She told him, fighting tears, "how could he think I'd hurt Grace?"

"I don't know"

"I've been the only mother that girl knows since she was 6 months old, I'm trying to adopt her, I wouldn't harm one hair on her head."

"Tell me about Grace" Gibb's asked

"Oh she's funny" Jaime's face lit "She sings all day, these little nonsense songs, she sings to the dog, she sings to the postman, when I'm e-mailing her Dad, she sings to him. She pulls these little faces" she demonstrated by sticking her tongue out and wrinkling her nose "and then she giggles."

Gibbs smiled "Go on"

"She started walking about a year ago, and boy was I in trouble she's into everything and anything, she can get out of her cot, and back in in the night, she uses Buster as her own personal slave."

"Buster?"

"Sam's Dog, he's great with Grace, but anyone he doesn't know he barks and makes a fuss. Grace rides him" she laughed "I'm really worried Agent Gibb's, she hasn't got her bear with her, she can't sleep without her bear, and with her cold, if she's out in the cold…."

"It's OK Mrs Jackson, we'll get her back" he patted her hand, and silently left the room.

Outside the door he walked straight into Tony, "What you think boss?"

"She didn't do it Dinozzo, that little girl is still out there and we need to find her."

"Boss?"

"She didn't DO ANYTHING Dinozzo, find that little girl."

X

Gibb's grumpily walked into the bull ring "Somebody better have a lead on finding Grace!" he stated.

"Boss" McGee called "I've traced the e-mail received by Corporal Jackson"

"Go on McGee"

"It comes from the email of Johnson B Callway" Gibb's looked confused "Samira Jacksons Father."

Gibb's stared for a moment, then smiled "Good job McGee." He looked around "Tony, Ziva!" he shouted "Get your gear."

"Boss?" McGee asked wearily

"Get me the address for Callway's, then go down to Abby, see if she's got their prints on file."

"You think it's the Grandparents, why?"

"The dog didn't bark".

X

Gibb's pulled his black sedan into the Maryland rural street, just after it had got dark. As they approached the house silently, Gibb's sent Ziva round the back, while He and Tony looked firstly through the front window, sat on the sofa an older couple watched TV.

Gibb's was about to kick the door in, when a child started crying from upstairs. Gibb's stopped. He gestured that Dinozzo should holster his weapon, and then did the same. He stood up straight, and knocked on the front door.

A few moments later the door was answered by the older man, Gibb's height wearing blue pyjamas. "Can I help you folks?" he asked

"NCIS" Gibb's showed him his badge, "Can we come in Mr Callway."

"NCIS? Navy cops? Is this about my Granddaughter?"

"Can we come in Mr Callway?" Gibb's asked again stepping forward

"I don't know how I can help you…" the man started

"I don't think that' quite true is it Mr Callway?" Tony told him, stepping into the house.

"What….?" He looked shot "I don't understand?"

"How did you know there was something wrong with your Granddaughter?" Gibb's clarified.

Mr Callway was about to complain again, when he was interrupted by another sharp cry from above, and he swore.

X

"You used your daughters key to the house to let yourself in, no worries about the dog, he knew you, you took Grace, then you smashed the door to implicate Mrs Jackson." Gibb's told Mrs Callway. "Why?"

"She wanted to take Grace away!"

"She was trying to adopt her?" Gibb's told her.

"Do you know how long after Samira died she was on the scene?" Mrs Callway counted "6 months, that's all it took."

Gibb's shook his head, stood up and left the room.

X

In the bull ring Jaime Jackson sat on a chair beside Gibb's desk, she sipped a Styrofoam cup of coffee nervously. The MCR Team watched Gibb's walk through the room carrying a little girl in his arms. She was singing, and Gibb's had a massive smile on his face. Jaime looked around and saw them; she was on her feet as Gibb's put the toddler down. The little girl looked confused then looked up and her face lit again.

"MAMAMA" she shrieked and toddled towards Jaime

"Gracey, baby, Gracey" Jaime shrieked back, kneeling down and sweeping the tiny girl into her arms.

"How did you know boss?" Tony asked

Gibb's looked at him incredulously and then shook his head. "I asked her to describe the girl, she didn't tell me what she looked like, or her age, she told me she liked singing, and rode round the house on the dog." Tony looked confused "She's a Mom, Tony."

X

When Gibb's got home late that night, he smiled to see his truck parked neatly in front of the house, space cleared in front of the Garage for the Government Sedan he'd brought home. The lights of the living room were on low, and he smiled.

The door was always unlocked if one of them was home, he preferred his life that way, walking into the house he saw her lying on the sofa in the gloom, paper work was scattered around her. He smiled and then stilled. Low murmuring in Russian came from the living room, he instinctively pulled his gun. He turned the lights on and entered the room. It was empty apart from Kim, who was still murmuring in Russian. Gibb's holstered his gun and listened.

"_It's OK, the child will be OK, he won't hurt you, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry"_ she murmured into the sofa cushion.

"_Who you talking to?"_ He whispered Russian into her ear.

"_Natasha"_ she woke and looked around "Gibb's?"

"_You speak Russian?"_ He asked her still speaking fluently in the language.

"_Yes" _

"_Why do you speak Russian?" _ He asked sharply.

She looked up at him wide eyed, as he reached for his weapon again.


End file.
